Russian Economic Development Ministry plans to bring back 72-hour visa-free travel for foreign cruise tourists

MOSCOW. Dec 5 (Interfax) - The Russian Economic Development Ministry is considering the reinstatement of a 72-hour visa-free stay in Russia for passengers of the cruise ships from other countries in 2025, Deputy Economic Development Minister Dmitry Vakhrukov said.

"We have visa-free group tours, and we have introduced an electronic visa. The idea, which I think we will put into practice next year, is to bring back 72 hours for cruise ship passengers. They can stay for three days in their host city without a visa. This is the first most important aspect, so that if we do not implement it we will divide all our promotion efforts to zero," Vakhrukov said during a session at St. Petersburg's Travel Hub. Travel! international tourism forum on Thursday.

Efforts to expand direct air travel with other countries and build direct links between Russian cities and target international markets should also be continued to develop inbound tourism, he said.

Vakhrukov said in June that the ministry had plans to allow foreign passengers of cruise ships to stay in Russia for three days without visas and extend this procedure to the resorts of the Five Seas project in the future.

A 72-hour visa-free stay for foreign cruise tourists in Russia arriving at the port of St. Petersburg has been in effect since 2009 before the coronavirus pandemic.